If you are renting for one year - do you move everything? (packing, ABF)

[CityGirl72]

So we are re-locating back to where we were.

But thinking we'll need to rent first in the new area while selling the house (kids in school etc etc)

So if we are going to move - then one year hopefully buy and move again (maybe even less then a year depending on how long it takes to sell our home)...

Do you move everything? Live for a year on just the bare essentials??
Put everything in storage?

Are there cross state moving services that let you move with PODS then store them for later?

[Boomerang]

I moved some stuff into the temporary apartment and moved the rest into storage when the house sold, while waiting to either buy a new house or rent a bigger place.

Consider whether you'll need to get at your stuff before you move into your new house when you choose storage. Also consider whether outdoor or indoor storage will work (outdoor storage facilities may have bug or weather problems).
Don't know about PODS, sorry.....

You might be amazed at how little you actually need to get by. I'm starting to feel like I should just have a big tag sale in my storage locker and not bother keeping it

[Katie1]

???? Is the things you plan to store worth the cost...or would it be better to move what you really want into the apt & sell the rest????

[5FLgirls]

We are going through the same dilemma. We moved cross country. We didn't go through our things at the old location--just had everything packed up. We moved into a house that is 1000 sq ft smaller than our old house--there was no way our stuff was going to fit. Luckily, we had a third car garage and just filled the third bay with all the excess boxes and furniture. Ten months later--I wonder where my stuff is! My husband doesn't have any issues with the fact that a lot of our kitchen stuff and kid's toys are in the garage -- he's of the opinion that since we haven't "missed" it in a year -- we just don't need it. I missed my things--he didn't! He is correct in one sense -- you do adjust to not having your things around you. By the time we unpack some of the toys--my kids will have outgrown them. As for the pods, I called them when I was thinking of going that route. They actually have a branch that will move it to another state but it's very $$$. If I were you, I would go through my stuff and get rid of anything that is just unnecessary (I had three boxes of wicker baskets that were a total waste) and then move it all with you. You could just store boxes and such in your closets or have extra storage in your new place (like we have in our garage) so you don't have to pay an extra fee. My next goal for the month of May is to open every box in my garage (we're talking over 150) and figure out what I should keep and what I should get rid of. You don't want to do that!

[Twinkletoes]

CityGirl, I'm doing exactly what you are doing. I'm moving across the country and haven't sold my house here yet. I'll be going into an apartment at the new location, and am signing a one-year lease. By the time my lease is up, I will (hopefully!) have sold my house and will be ready to buy a new house.

I'm going from a 4-bedroom house to a 2-bedroom apartment. Obviously not all of my things will fit in the apartment. I'm moving only things that are irreplaceable due to being sentimental, too valuable for me to buy again, or extremely useful and no longer made. Anything that is "replaceable" is not going. It is simply too costly to move and store, and some things just don't travel well. I have heard that cheaply made furniture doesn't hold together well due to the vibration of the truck and being hauled around by the movers.

Using this philosophy makes it really easy to decide what to keep. I'm using ABF U-Pack cubes (pod-type containers), and they can be stored for $195 per month if you wish. I'm taking two cubes with my best furniture, my good china, photos, clothes, and a very few boxes of other items.

[ibeg4sushi]

Don't forget you can always rent furniture, like from Cort, or go with a fully furnished apartment. Definitely, definitely go through your stuff and SORT before you pack. I have gotten rid of so much - bags and boxes, trunkloads, of stuff to the thrift store - and it doesn't seem to have made a dent. I really don't miss any of it. And we only live in a 2BR apt with a small storage space outside.

If you need help deciding, just do the simply math.
Moving estimate example: 11,000lbs about $6,000 with me packing books and CDs
+ rent at the new apartment
+ time to pack, unpack for me

OR
Moving estimate
+ storage costs for one year for x-amount of storage (with or with A/C)
+ rent for apt (furnished, rent furniture, or minimal own things)

Take either scenario and then add:
the cost of the second move
+/- the final cost of your old home when it sells, including how much of a hit you can afford to take, if it sells under current market value.

It all may sound like alot, but that's really where the hard part is, and once you get that figured out a bit more in your head, the answer will begin to become more apparent to you. Maybe it will help if you can imagine the different scenarios, and see which ones you may regret more and go for the opposite?? (Coin Toss psychology: "aww, it's tails..")

Good luck with whatever you decide!

[DCguy03]

You really can get by without a lot of extra things, especially if it is just for one year.

Have you considered just buying the basics, such as couch, dining room table, etc. on Craigslist locally? You can get some really good deals on there, and to pick it up just rent a UHaul van for $20/day + mileage. Then after the year is up and you are ready to buy a house...just sell it all back on Craigslist! You could probably come close to breaking even this way.